WSP to manage Bart Silicon Valley metro extension

SANTA Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has awarded a contract to WSP to manage the final phase of the extension of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (Bart) metro from Fremont to Silicon Valley.

The $US 4.7bn 9.7km section will extend Bart services to Alum Rock, Downtown San Jose, and Santa Clara, with an 8km tunnel under San Jose. Planning is underway and WSP, which is in a joint venture, will be responsible for conceptual design, engineering management, project controls, contracting strategies, utilities coordination, constructability reviews, value engineering, and development of procurement documents. Construction is scheduled to start in 2018, with passenger services due to begin running in 2026.

The 8.7km initial extension from Fremont to Warm Springs opened on March 25. Construction of the 16.1km section from Warm Springs to Milpitas and Berryessa began in 2012 and is due to open in 2018. WSP provided conceptual and preliminary engineering for these two sections.